Successfully starting and finishing a publishable novel is often like fighting a series of battles. You not only have to work hard to shape memorable characters, develop gripping plots, and craft dazzling dialogue, but you also have to fight against self-doubts and fears. And then there's the challenge of learning to navigate the ever-changing publishing industry.

That's why best-selling novelist James Scott Bell, author of the Write Great Fiction staples Plot & Structure and Revision & Self-Editing, came up with the ultimate novel-writing battle plan: The Art of War for Writers.

You'll find tactics and strategies for idea generation and development, character building, plotting, drafting, querying and submitting, dealing with rejection, coping with unrealistic expectations, and much more.

With timeless, innovative, and concise writing reflections and techniques, The Art of War for Writers is your roadmap to victory.

More editions of The Art of War for Writers: Fiction Writing Strategies, Tactics, and Exercises:

How far will a father go to get back his only daughter? And how will he survive in a legal system that crushes those who can't afford to fight back? Mark Gillen has the storybook life other men dream of, complete with a beautiful wife and an adoring five-year-old daughter. Then his wife announces shes leaving him. And taking their daughter with her. The other man is a famous film director with unlimited funds and the keys to stardom and wealth for Paula. How can Mark begin to compete? But the most bitter blow comes when he is kept from seeing his daughter because of false charges . . . and a legal system ill-suited for finding the truth. Forged in the darkest valley Mark has ever walked through, his faith in God may ultimately cost him everything in the eyes of the family law system. But it is the one thing that can keep him saneand give him the strength to fight against all odds for what matters most.

A compilation of two bestselling novels by former trial lawyer and bestselling author James Scott Bell come together under one cover. In Breach of Promise, actor and father Mark Gillen finds out how far modern courts will go to keep a child from a parent who has strong Christian views. Forged in the darkest valley he has ever walked through, Marks faith in God may ultimately cost him everything in the eyes of the family law system. But it is the one thing that can keep him saneand give him the strength to fight against all odds for what matters most. In Presumed Guilty, Dallas Hamilton's perfect world is torn apart when her husband, a rising superstar in the evangelical world, is arrested for the murder of a porn star. With the noose tightening around her husbands neck, Hamilton faces a choice: believe the seemingly irrefutable factsor the voice of her heart. The press has already reached its verdict, and the public echoes it. But Dallas is determined to do whatever it takes to find the truth & and then a dark secret from Dallas's past threatens to take them all down. With an unbelievable price point and thrills to match, you wont stop until the very last page.

How does plot influence story structure? What's the difference between plotting for commercial and literary fiction? How do you revise a plot or structure that's gone off course?

With Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure, you'll discover the answers to these questions and more. Award-winning author James Scott Bell offers clear, concise information that will help you create a believable and memorable plot, including:

Techniques for crafting strong beginnings, middles, and ends

Easy-to-understand plotting diagrams and charts

Brainstorming techniques for original plot ideas

Thought-provoking exercises at the end of each chapter

Story structure models and methods for all genres

Tips and tools for correcting common plot problems

Filled with plot examples from popular novels, comprehensive checklists, and practical hands-on guidance, Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure gives you the skills you need to approach plot and structure like an experienced pro.

More editions of Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot That Grips Readers from Start to Finish (Write Great Fiction):

Murder, betrayal, and a trial that feeds a media frenzy. Can one woman stand against the forces that threaten to tear her family apart? Pastor Ron Hamiltons star is rising. His 8,000-strong church is thriving. His good looks and charisma make him an exceptional speaker on family values. And his book on pornography in the church has become an unexpected bestseller. Everything is perfect. Until a young womans body is discovered in a seedy motel room. The woman is a porn star. And all the evidence in the murder points to one man: Ron. With the noose tightening around her husbands neck, Dallas Hamilton faces a choice: believe the seemingly irrefutable factsor the voice of her heart. The press has already reached its verdict, and the public echoes it. But Dallas is determined to do whatever it takes to find the truth. And then a dark secret from Dallas's past threatens to take them all down. As the clock ticks toward Ron's conviction and imprisonment, and an underworld of evil encircles her, Dallas must gather all her trust in God to discover what really happened in that motel room . . . even if it means losing faith in her husband forever.